Love
by Spitfire47
Summary: Toby falls in love with a reverend's daughter.


**Title:** Love?!

**Characters: **Toby Raggs, Mrs. Nellie Lovett, Sweeney Todd, Theresa

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Sweeney Todd!!!

Love?!

The sky was clear and night turned into day as young Toby Raggs got up. His messy black hair hung in his face and he let off a terrible odour of stale gin. He knew that Mrs. Lovett was not going to be pleased but at the moment he didn't mind. He couldn't remember what had happened the night before, he forced his mind to concentrate. Leaving the shop, heading to the store to buy more flour for Lovett but instead going toward the bar.

Crap, Toby thought.

He struggled his head through the neck of his shirt and then put on his dark brown pants and knee high socks. He walked down the stairs without crashing to the walls this time and took a seat at one of the small tables near the back.

"Morning dearie," a cheery voice called behind him.

Toby turned to see Mrs. Lovett at the door holding a medium sized brown bag. Her colourful change purse was badly stuffed in her left pocket and she wore her normal work clothes of a rough beige skirt and a light blue top.

"Morning mum," Toby replied trying to ignore his hangover.

Mrs. Lovett put the bag down with a large thud and Toby saw a large white powdery blotch on her shirt. He tried not to look at Mrs. Lovett who placed her hands on her hips.

"Guess who had to pick up the flour dearie?" Mrs. Lovett said.

Toby didn't answer and Mrs. Lovett took a seat across from him.

"I'm not mad at you Toby," Mrs. Lovett said gently placing her hand over top of his, "Just next time go to the store to buy what I need then you can head off,"

Toby gave a little smile, "Yes mum,"

Mrs. Lovett ruffled his hair, "That's my boy,"

Just then Sweeney walked down the stair his hair stuck out in all directions and he yawned.

"Tired," he muttered and he took a seat beside Toby.

"Well that's what you get for drinking last night love," Mrs. Lovett said slapping his hand lightly.

"What about this little thing?" Sweeney said pointing in Toby's direction.

"He came home around 12, you stayed until 4 in the morning,"

Sweeney grumbled something that was too low for Mrs. Lovett to hear.

"We open in 2 more hours, I'll go make us some breakfast.,"

Mrs. Lovett got up and left, leaving Toby and Sweeney alone. Toby and Sweeney were actually quite alike but they just didn't know it. They both loathed each other's presence, they both drank, and they both each had a dirty little secret that only Mrs. Lovett knew of. Toby didn't know about the truth about the pies and Sweeney didn't know about Toby's drinking problem. They both were silent for a while that it got on Sweeney's nerves, he had to talk.

"So what did you do last night?" Sweeney grumbled not believing what he is doing let alone saying. It took Toby by surprise as well.

"Stuff," Toby said nervously.

"Like?"

"Walking around,"

There was another silence between them. It was probably the first every thing they would call a "conversation" between them. At night after closing time Sweeney would talk Mrs. Lovett would answer and Toby would listen. They would pass each other once in a while and Sweeney would give Toby a look before heading upstairs.

"Breakfast," Mrs. Lovett said coming up to them with hot plates. She layed down the plates and Toby looked at the contents. Eggs, something that Toby thought looked like ham and a piece of bread. Sweeney looked at his portion and poked the meat with his fork.

"Stop playing with your food," Mrs. Lovett said.

"I thought we were saving it," Sweeney said now pushing the meat around his plate.

"Well we have enough to get us through two weeks,"

"I won't eat it if you need it for the pies mum," Toby said.

Mrs. Lovett gave him a smile, "Its alright dearie, you need the protein to be strong. Sweeney's just worried about the money situation. Meats just expensive now a days,"

Sweeney looked at Toby as he cut into the meat and started eating. Sweeney tried not to puke when Toby placed it in his mouth and chewed.

"Tastes like the meat you use in your pies mum," Toby said with a mouthful of bread.

After the dishes were done Toby went and flipped the sign from "closed " to "open". Mrs. Lovett ran downstairs to the bake house and came back up with trays full of fresh-out-of-the oven pies. Within seconds the pies fresh smell lingered in the air and Mrs. Lovett went up to change into her nice dress. Toby ran upstairs get ready for the morning rush of customers. He cleaned up and brushed his messy hair back. He looked at himself in the cracked mirror and smiled with satisfaction. As Toby was about to walk out of his room Sweeney passed him and moved toward the last door of the hallway. Toby watched him disappear behind the polished oak door. He always wondered what was behind that door, but he never got the courage to go and check. He was always scared that Sweeney would find out.

Downstairs he saw the serving wrenches come in and sniff the air. Toby couldn't help but do it as well. The smell of the pies were unbearable. The one of the serving girls smiled at Toby and waved, Toby returned a wave and a smile. Mrs. Lovett gave the girls instructions and then they went to the cupboard to get the trays.

The first customers of the day were a man and wife with a small boy at their side. Toby took their order and gave it to one of the serving girls. Sweeney walked up calmly to the man and talked to him for a while. The man nodded a little and smiled as Sweeney gave him an offer.

"Toby?" Mrs. Lovett called.

Toby turned and walked up to her.

"Yes mum?"

Mrs. Lovett had a young girl at her side, "This is Theresa, she's the new serving girl so make her feel welcome ok?"

"Right mum," Toby said.

Toby looked at Theresa and caught his breath, she had long blond-white hair, a smooth face and she stood tall. The only thing that ruined her image was her stormy grey eyes. She wore the usual serving wrench clothes, a grey skirt and a black top.

"I'm Toby," the boy said quickly but instead tripped in front of her. Toby looked up and saw Theresa smile down at him. She held out her hand and helped him up. He accepted it gratefully and he caught her perfume-scent of mint. He noticed that Theresa wasn't a usual street girl who wanted money, she was more.

Most of the customers came at lunch for one of Mrs. Lovett pies and some came for a shave. Sweeney took only one man at a time and Mrs. Lovett gave them a small piece of pie for free. Toby showed Theresa the other girls and introduced the bartender. Mrs. Lovett came up to Theresa after the lunch rush.

"So how did you do dearie?" Mrs. Lovett asked.

"It's tough," Theresa said.

"You'll get use to it dearie,"

Just then the doorbell rang and a tall man walked in. He had a clean shaven face, he wore a black robe and a stern look spread over his face as he saw Theresa.

"This is your idea of earning money?" the stern man asked.

Theresa tried to answer but the man didn't give her a chance.

"Working in this," the man said pointing to Theresa's serving wrench clothes, "you should be ashamed. You think you are helping society by working in a pie shop?"

Toby couldn't just stand there and watch Theresa been embarrassed by this man.

"Leave her alone," Toby blurted out.

The shop went silent and the customers looked over to see what was going on. The man stalked over to Toby who was now still. He towered over the small boy so that his devious shadow cast over Toby.

"You should keep you mouth shut boy," the man said, "Discipline is the only way to punish a child. And to think my own daughter would be working in a filthy place life this,"

Toby's mind raced. Daughter?! Then the man looked familiar, Toby once saw the man walk out of the church. Then it hit Toby; hard. The man was a rev for the church. The man noticed and smiled.

"Let's go Theresa," her father commanded.

Theresa followed her father like a puppy dog and then disappeared within the crowd.

That night Toby sat on his bed with a bottle of gin in his hand. The tiny candle on his bed table flickered, the tiny light reflected off his drunken face and cast a shadow on the wall. He thought about what had happened today. A beautiful girl came to work at the shop, then her father came in and destroyed all of Toby's hopes. Toby was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear his door open and close. Toby didn't even flinch as Mrs. Lovett gently tapped his shoulder.

"Toby?" Mrs. Lovett said calmly, "Dearie?"

Toby turned to see Mrs. Lovett sitting on the end of his bed, her shadow grew on the wall as well.

"You alright?" Mrs. Lovett asked.

Toby was to drunk to answer but he tried his best, "She was a church's daughter?" his words were terribly slurred.

"I never knew Toby," Mrs. Lovett said.

"Never said anything,"

Mrs. Lovett moved closer took the bottle of gin away from him and hugged him for a while. Mrs. Lovett felt something wet soaking through her shirt and then saw Toby sleeping on her shoulder and drool coming out of his mouth. Mrs. Lovett sighed and layed his gently on his bed and pulled the covers of his body then blow out the candle.

The next morning was Sunday so Toby decided to go to church since the shop was closed until lunch. Toby searched though his closet of only very few clothes and picked out the only with the ripped tie. He combed his hair back and he smiled a couple of times at himself in his cracked mirror. Once Toby was satisfied he walked downstairs to see Mr. Todd sleeping on a table, he didn't know why Sweeney was sleeping on a table and he didn't want to know. All he cared about was that Mrs. Lovett make sure that table is sanitized well.

Outside Toby breathed in the fresh air, he walked down the street and pasted a large house which he knew immediately was Judge Turpin's house. He saw a lovely girl around 18 sitting by her window, various birds were in cages of different sizes. The girl saw him and waved. Toby waved back then when his eyes lowered to see the Judge glower at him so Toby ran off. He pasted the bird seller that always stood the corner near the church. He walked up to the bird seller.

"What kind of birds do you have there sir?" Toby said kindly.

"Finches, canaries, linnets," the bird seller replied.

"How much a bird?"

"2 pennies,"

Toby fished out 4 pennies and bought 2 canaries with a big grin on his face. The bird seller noticed.

"Special someone?"

"Yah,"

Toby thanks the bird seller and walked toward the church. He didn't go in the church exactly but he waited patiently on the steps. He thought about what he would say to Theresa, all he could think about was 'I love you'. He thought that was corny to a girl with such admiration.

"What are you doing here?" a strong voice called.

Toby looked up to see Theresa's father once again standing over him and glaring down at him.

"Is it illegal for someone to listen to the grace of god?" Toby asked.

"You really know how to tick someone off don't you boy?" Theresa's father replied.

"No sir, not really,"

He took Toby roughly by the arm and snatched away the bird cage. He looked at the chirping canaries who bounced aimlessly around the cage and flapped their wings about the bars.

"You dare bring these creatures here?" Theresa's father roared angrily shaking Toby viciously.

"I think their lovely," a strong voice called.

Toby and the rev turned to see a group of people staring at them and at the front was Theresa. Her arms were crossed and her hair hung to one side of her face, her pearl white dress blew in the wind.

"I think their lovely," Theresa said once again stepping forward to take the silver cage from her father, "Let's go Toby,"

Toby took Theresa's open hand and they walked together away from the church.

Later that night Toby came back with a giant grin on his face. Mrs. Lovett was surprised by the news he had told them and Sweeney didn't care at all.

"Oh isn't that lovely dear?" Mrs. Lovett said clasping her hands together, "Don't you think its lovely Mr. T?"

"What? Oh ya just great,"

Toby didn't care what Sweeney's answer was plus he didn't listen, he was to busy thinking about Theresa.


End file.
